Jake Trueman embraces the pressure of playing for Hull FC in cup quest
JAKE Trueman is ready to feel the pressure of guiding Hull FC towards Wembley – as he wants it.
If he did not have that, they would be nowhere near thinking of the Challenge Cup final.
Nowhere is the spotlight on rugby league players more than in Hull and that weight of expectation has crushed many who have worn the black and white shirt on the past.
But half-back Trueman is ready to use that to his advantage as Tony Smith’s men have turned around a stuttering start and have showed they can threaten anyone.
He said: “There’s that bit more pressure when you’re going to win something.
“Hull haven’t really kicked on over the last few years and the fans are desperate to win something, so you definitely feel that pressure.
“And it’ll kick in again today. You lose, you’re out. It’s do or die and there’s that pressure to kick on but I think it helps.
“The only way you are going to get that pressure is if you’re in the big games. That helps push you on.
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“I’m still a little off my best after coming back from 10 months out with a knee injury – that’ll take another four to six weeks – but I’m slowly getting back into it.
“It was pretty much a whole new spine, with a new coach and new ideas and new structure. It was always going to take that bit of time.
“We were always confident we’d turn it around. Looking back now, at the start of the season with a load of new players and a new coach, it was pretty unrealistic to expect us to think we’d start strongly.
“Now we’re looking a lot more confident. When you lose seven on the bounce, your confidence is shot. Now we’ve got that back and are confident we can stick in games.”
Hull FC may be only two wins from Wembley but a fearsome foe stands in their way this afternoon as four-times defending Super League champions and current world champions St Helens come to town.
And just like the hosts. Paul Wellens’ men are finding form after a wobble – one that came after they defeated NRL champions Penrith Panthers in Australia.
But half back Trueman, 24, added: “Hull went back to back in 2016 and 2017, so the Challenge Cup’s pretty special to the club and we’re definitely going to go for it.
“You keep Wembley on the backburner but now it’s a case of win three games and you’re there – it’s not that many.
“However, I was always confident Saints would come good. They’ve got too much quality to not be contending.
“I watched them against Wigan and they looked really strong but you get a win against the champions, you get massive confidence.
“And they have showed they are beatable. Every team in the league has their weaknesses. Saints aren’t unbeatable.
“You’ve got to play top teams to win the cup, so you might as well get them out of the way as early as possible.”